Rivalry Aside, U.T., A&M Serve Students Together
Published Apr 14, 2008
The University of Texas and Texas A&M University have a long-standing sports rivalry.
But in recent years, the universities have found common ground in cities such as San Antonio, where A&M has established a System campus
to support the Alamo Area’s growing population.
It’s a population the University of Texas at San Antonio has served since 1979.
After establishing System centers in Killeen and Dallas, Texas A&M University turned to San Antonio. In 1999, the System received $1.6 million to open a center for third- and fourth-year college students in San Antonio. Classes began in fall 2000.
“If you look at the population in San Antonio and the surrounding areas and the rural cities, the area, along with the state, is growing,” says Greg A. Garcia, Texas A&M’s Assistant Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations.
“There is a big population base and a lot of students who want to stay in San Antonio for college.”
Texas A&M’s classes currently meet in former South San ISD school buildings on the city’s south side. The System thanks the district for the space by offering scholarships to 10 district students a year. The students earn an associate’s degree from Palo Alto College and then receive a free ride at the System campus to complete a bachelor’s degree.
The System recently received additional funding from the Texas Legislature, enabling it to add faculty and make plans to increase their programming.
Building a campus will follow once the System meets its goal of 1,500 full-time-equivalent students, which they hope to accomplish by 2009. By 2030, Garcia would like to see a four-year campus with 25,000 students.
The University of Texas at San Antonio has 29,000 students.
“San Antonio is a rapidly growing city, and I think this demonstrates the city is committed to providing resources for all students,” says David Gabler, UTSA’s Assistant Vice President for Communications. “We’re now a knowledge-based economy in San Antonio, and we’re working together to best prepare students for the future.”
Says Texas A&M’s Garcia: “In the long run, the better job we do educating and improving the level of education for undergraduates and graduate students, the more it entices industry.”
Story by Leanne Libby
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